MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University Police have received information about electronic fraud reports by the Morgantown Police Department involving cell phones and mobile payment apps.
In the last few days, suspects have asked strangers to use their cell phones. When the alleged scammer takes the phone to make a call they access mobile payment apps like Venmo, Zelle, PayPal or Apple Cash to send money to outside accounts.
In other instances, cell phones have been taken from victims as they were talking or texting on them.
“To prevent this kind of theft and fraud, we advise members of the University community to be aware of their surroundings at all times and avoid sharing their phones with strangers,” UPD Chief Sherry St. Clair said. “Other layers of protection include utilizing phone auto-locking features and enhanced security settings for mobile payment apps.”
Additional safety tips and resources:
· If you witness a crime, call 911 or UPD at 304-293-3136.
· Download WVU’s LiveSafe app and check settings to allow notifications.
· Visit safety.wvu.edu for additional resources and information.
· Sign up or monitor your WVU Alert account.
· WVU ITS offers tips to enhance your security settings to better protect your online identity.